“…The purpose of the current study is to examine early alcohol use initiation, prior to age 13, as a specific risk factor associated with co-occurring suicidal and violent behaviors among a nationally representative sample of boys and girls in the U.S. Other factors that have been associated with violence or suicidal behaviors, either empirically or theoretically, in earlier studies and that are available within the Youth Risk Behavior Survey were included as potential confounders (ie, sadness, low academic grades, binge drinking, weapon carrying, and drug use 1,10,27,28. The current study will determine the role of early alcohol use initiation in the comorbidity of self-directed and interpersonal violence and findings can be used to guide prevention and intervention programs.…”